It’s spooky season again, so I thought I’d bring back last year’s ghost stories — all true, all strange, and all unforgettable :
Ghost Story #1 : The Man of the House
Ghost Story #2 – The Ouija Board
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, these stories still give me chills.
What’s the creepiest thing you’ve ever experienced? Tell me in the comments!
Happy Halloween everyone!!! 🎃🖤
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I’ve really been struggling with what to write on here lately. My brain has been clouded with a bit of a shitstorm, & I’ve needed some time to see if the chaos settles.
It’s been months. I’m lucky I had a backlog of posts to ride on, but that well is just about dry. So… now what?!
If you’re in a similar boat, let’s ask ourselves some questions :
Just roll with it. That’s what I’m doing right now, LOL! Roll with it until you hit the bottom — or better yet, a breakthrough. Set a timer if you want. Clean it up tomorrow, or next week. Just get something going.
Just about everyone does it these days. AI bots like ChatGPT & Claude are great at not only cleaning up fragmented thoughts, but even at prompting you to expand on your ideas. It’s not cheating if you don’t copy & paste AI-generated content.
The most important part. Even if it sucks, even if you’re scared. Everyone’s got an audience & a community, and sharing helps us all find each other.
Writer’s block sucks, but you’re not alone — and you don’t have to be perfect to be heard. So hit publish, and let it out. Your people will get it.
🔥 Drop your favorite writer’s block hacks in the comments. Or just tell me what you’ve been avoiding writing. Let’s unblock together.
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Rock on!
Lately, I just want to crawl under a pile of pillows & blankets & disappear. After pushing through an intense amount of drama for over two years…I’m exhausted! I feel like a bounce house with a hole in it – no matter how much air I put in, it just won’t fill up.
To add to the stress, my past trauma has been slapping me in the face recently too. Because, as everyone who’s dealt with any sort of trauma knows (which is everyone, eventually) – healing is cyclical. You never fully heal, you cycle through periods of it being in your face, then growing through the pain, then carrying on with your life, and back around over the course of years. The goal is just to not let it consume your life.
(This is my warning for my posts this month – I am super behind, because I’m really struggling to find my own peace right now. It is what it is.)
Truth is, I didn’t fail at self-care (& neither are you if you’re feeling a similar way). We’re all human – occasionally stressed, foggy, & worn out from life’s latest plot twist. This article definitely isn’t about toxic positivity; it’s about looking for tools that work.
Suffering is like whack a mole – “Every time you knock down one kind of pain, another one pops up. And the faster you whack them, the faster they come back.” “Everything is fucked. It always has been and always will be… it’s time we stop running from that and, instead, embrace it.” (Mark Manson, Everything is Fucked)
In my experience, depression and anxiety are two sides of the same coin – while one may be “face up”, the other is still…there.
Sadness / Apathy = depression = fixation on the past
Fear = anxiety = fixation on the future
Different beasts require different weapons…
Write it out : What’s bothering you? Could it be trying to tell you something useful? Can you control any aspect of it? If yes, what can you do to improve the situation? If no, how can you work to accept the situation without letting it consume you?
Mix & match from the suggestions above – see what works for you at different times & for different situations. Keep track of tried & true ideas in your journal for future reference.
Self improvement & personal growth isn’t a chore – it’s your rebellion.
Check out this article I really liked : Feeling Lost and Unmotivated? Read This.
💬 What’s in your personal emotional first aid kit?
I’d love to hear what weird, wild, or wonderful tools help you climb out of the fog. Drop a comment below, share this with a friend who needs it, or subscribe if you haven’t yet — more rebel resources are on the way.
Stay weird. Stay kind. Stay you. 💀✨
Rock on!
If you’re the type of person who has 1,039 ideas but never takes the plunge – this one’s for you!
Waiting for the “right time” is usually just fear in disguise. You don’t need clarity, confidence, or even competence to start something meaningful.
Screw perfection – Start now. Fuck shit up. Fix it later.
Use the Japanese idea of Ikigai as your compass :
Don’t aim for a perfect life plan – aim for a starting point that feels aligned. What do you want to try?
According to Ryder Carroll in “The Bullet Journal Method”, designers at Toyota have been using the following exercise for decades to get to the root of problems.
Identify a problem. Answer why it’s a problem. Answer why that’s a problem. And so on.
For example :
Problem – I’m afraid to start.
Why? Because I might fail.
Why? Because I haven’t practiced.
Why? Because I haven’t started.
Why? …oh.
This method forces clarity. It hurts in all the best ways.
Cato didn’t wait for applause. He practiced discomfort, led by example, and acted.
Who do you admire, who’s doing what you want to do?
What are they doing, and how can you do that in your own unique ways?
What would they do? (They’d just fucking do the things.)
There’s no need to look polished right out the gate – all brands evolve. Share the mess, and let people watch you grow – we should all inspire each other, don’t you think?
I’ve done it twice!
I thought being a reseller would be fun (& it was at first). So I did a little research, got the supplies I needed, & spent a few years selling stuff online. I learned that it wasn’t nearly as hard as I’d built it up to be in my head once I was actually doing it. In time, it became almost effortless!
zen BLITZ started as a jewelry shop online. Why? I have no idea LOL! I had fun making stuff, & hubby told me to try selling it. I hated it, but I never gave up my brand. And here we are now, doing the things I enjoy (writing & creating digital products) & growing by the day!
I read a fun newsletter from Ali Abdaal, where he expanded on an idea from Tim Ferriss.
Learn fast. Adjust faster. Don’t bet your life – just test the water.
Perfection is procrastination in a fancier outfit. Take one weird, ugly, probably wrong step. Then another. And another. Momentum leads to mastery.
If it sucks, GOOD! That means you’re making progress.
Forget polished. If you’re excited, you’re already ready. Just start.
You can be a professional witch, digital punk, homeschooler entrepreneur, or whatever wild idea you’ve got.
Burn your idea of “the right way” and build a new one.
You don’t need to be sure. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to begin.
🔥 Got a wild idea simmering? Leave a comment, share your dream, or DM me what you’re finally starting.
Subscribe here for more anti-fluff fuel & creative rebellion tips every week. Let’s make shit happen.
Rock on!
Here’s my rally cry to my fellow weirdos, skeptics, overthinkers, & black sheep dreamers who want more out of life but refuse to vision board it with a fake smile & a $6 latte. The word “manifesting” itself might sound like glitter & girlbossing – but fuck all that.
This isn’t about fake positivity & mood boards, or waiting on the universe like it’s Uber Eats. True manifestation is about clarity, commitment, & creation, not crystals & vibes. It’s about owning what you want, & doing the work to get it.
“Manifesting sounds silly, but it’s real.” – Darius Foroux
You don’t need rituals directed to the spirits of the universe or a woke third eye – just a decision & a direction. All manifestation really means is putting your energy toward something specific instead of letting it leak everywhere.
It’s clarity & consistent action. That’s it. You don’t even have to believe in yourself to begin, you just have to start. Confidence is the result, not the starting requirement.
The “misfit” version of manifestation isn’t about pretending things are already perfect, it’s about getting honest about what you want. Let yourself imagine your wild, weird, perfect life shit – that’s your target.
Ask yourself:
Here’s the no-frills, anti-fairy-dust game plan :
It’s normal to lack confidence when you start anything – how else can you learn?
Action builds confidence. Every time you show up, you grow. Stronger regret comes from what you didn’t do, not from trying & shifting course as needed.
You’re not here to live a quiet, tiny life full of half-finished dreams. And you don’t need perfect clarity or inner peace to begin – you need grit, vision, & the willingness to try.
Daydream. Focus. Act. Adjust. Repeat.
Manifest like a misfit & create the weird, wild life you were made for.
You don’t need a vision board. You need a spine, a soul, & a reason.
If this fired you up, share it with a fellow misfit who’s tired of waiting for signs and ready to make moves. Let’s manifest like we mean it — no glitter required.
🖤 Want more no-fluff self-help for rebels? Subscribe to my newsletter and never miss a hit of clarity. Next week we’ll take this to the next level!!
Rock on!
Routines can be sacred. Especially if you’re a homeschooling parent, productivity junkie, or even just trying to survive.
But even the most solid system can become a cage if you never step outside of it – “Don’t let your rituals become ruts”.
While structure is great, so is knowing when to burn it down for a day or two.
I was reminded by Ali Abdaal’s “Holiday Paradox” video that our sense of time flies by when every day looks the same because our brains switch into autopilot.
But when you experience something new, your brain takes more mental “snapshots”, making time feel longer, fuller, richer.
“Life is long if you know how to use it.” – Seneca
Schedule regular adventures, & treat them like an appointment you’ll get arrested for if you miss.
You don’t have to get too crazy or too rigid about it – it could be a random Tuesday hike, working from a grocery store cafe, or even a spontaneous dance party in the kitchen.
The point is to get weird on purpose. Let your brain break the pattern. Novelty naturally makes you more creative, resilient, & present.
I’ve mentioned my “Do Nothing Days” before – once a week, I give myself full permission to say “fuck it” to my whole routine. And it’s a breath of fresh air!
So skip the lesson plan, leave the dishes, & toss your planner out the window (metaphorically).
These days are to recalibrate your spirit, & remind you that you’re not a robot.
While routines can help us thrive, adaptability keeps us alive.
Don’t let your days blur into one big beige loop. Add some neon. Smash a routine or two. And if you try it this week — I wanna hear about it! Let’s swap weird ideas in the comments.
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You’re not a robot. Rock on.
It seems like everyone’s always chasing happiness, as though it’s the ultimate goal of life. Romanticizing happiness like that, however, can really just set us up for failure, especially when we feel like we’re just struggling to survive.
Here’s a little truth bomb for thought, from Mark Manson – “Comfort with your core misery is a form of happiness.” I suppose accepting, understanding, and approaching with compassion your underlying (angst, sadness, or whatever) is the key to freedom from its control.
Even Stoic philosopher king Marcus Aurelius was dealt a super shitty hand throughout his life, yet he showed up for it. Every. Damn. Day.
“We continue to rise because it’s the only way forward.” – Ryan Holiday
2. Don’t numb out. You’ll only cause yourself more problems.
Quick sad story – My mom died at home of complications from ALS four days after my 15th birthday. (Worst. Birthday. Ever.) I remember sitting on the couch in front of her while my aunt called the coroner & distant family members in the other room, and my father did shots & smoked cigarettes with my uncle outside. I asked myself, “now what do I do? How do I grieve? How do I move forward from this?” And then I realized I was left alone with the empty shell of my mom. And I screamed in agony, feeling like I didn’t matter.
This just magnified my tendency to shut down and disappear when I’m in pain. As an adult, I try hard to consciously choose not to revert to that – I try to make sure I reach out to others just to say “hi, how are ya?!?” (even though I feel like no one does that in turn).
A little reminder (for myself, & you)…
If you ever feel like no one gives a fuck – you’re not alone, or broken, or anything like that. That pain has a root. But isolation isn’t really going to make anything better. Reach out anyway – you’ll never know if some light will reach back otherwise.
“Let the chaos settle, & clarity will follow”
From there, we need to focus on caring deeply about things that matter to us, & not at all about things that drain us. Mindfulness is a matter of noticing where your energy goes unattended, & rerouting it with intention.
According to the Dalai Lama (& a million philosophers before him), the only constant in life is change. Suffering occurs as a natural response when we are resistant to change. When we are capable, we need to let go – accept it, so we can address it & turn it around by finding any possible meanings & lessons hidden beneath the pain.
You’re not broken because you’re not blissed out. You’re still here. Still trying. And that definitely matters. You are not alone, and the world is better with you in it. Feel & live loud, even if it gets a bit ugly at times. The golden rule in life, in my opinion, is to do whatever you want so long as you don’t hurt anyone, including yourself.
If you’re in the thick of it right now — I see you. Keep doing the next right thing, even if it’s tiny. Leave a comment, message me, or just save this for later. You’re not alone in the mess.
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Rock on!
A couple of weeks ago, I went and got my annual lab work done for my PCP. Unexpectedly, I got a call from one of the nurses letting me know my cholesterol levels are a bit elevated—she said, ”Heart healthy diet & exercise, and follow-up lipid panel in six months.” And that’s literally it. That was the whole conversation.
My father had cardiovascular issues, and as his primary caregiver I already knew how to approach a “heart healthy diet” and whatnot. If I didn’t, I’d be freaking out. (Which is one of many reasons why I loathe the current state of the American “healthcare” system, but that’s a rant for another day. Don’t be afraid to ask questions — your health team works for you.) So, the information in this post is based on past and current research. While I do have some healthcare education and experience, I am not a doctor and this article is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. I just want to share what I’ve learned and how I’m approaching this situation.
Both of these were noted as “high” in my lab report, which means my overall cholesterol levels are considered elevated.
LDL cholesterol refers to one specific type of lipoprotein, while non-HDL cholesterol refers to “all potentially harmful cholesterol particles in the blood”.
In other words, LDL is like the reckless driver and non-HDL is a full report of all the troublemakers in the area. HDL is the good guy.
I’m choosing empowerment over panic – I’ve been wanting to improve my physical health game, and this is just a nudge to level up!
(I know I’ve been!)
The real villains are saturated and trans fats (not cholesterol itself), so check your nutrition labels accordingly. Everything in moderation.
Simple dietary swaps won’t ruin your life –
Foods that actively help :
Exercise isn’t just for getting shredded – it raises HDL (good) cholesterol and improves heart health.
You don’t need a gym membership – walking, dancing, lifting your kid 600 times a day all count. The key is to find some movement that doesn’t bore you to death – skateboarding, hiking, karate – whatever keeps you coming back!
I’m pretty fond of Juice & Toya on YouTube – they use fun music, different routines & moves in each video, and there’s plenty to choose from!
Smoking is an HDL killer – so quitting gives your good cholesterol a boost! And studies have shown that vaping isn’t a loophole (damn.) – it has similar effects as smoking. Both stress out your liver (which regulates cholesterol), cause inflammation, & expose your body to more toxins than you already do just by being alive. So stop it (I’m yelling at myself here.)
Psychological stress & cholesterol are BFFs too (& not in a good way). Practice stoicism or selective apathy, meditate, or just scream into the void – find a way to decompress.
Yes, but no. Genetics do play a role (40-60% of HDL levels are inherited). Your lifestyle is more important though – you can outmaneuver your DNA.
Instead of blindly following health advice, track what actually works for you. On Notion, I keep a daily health log that includes dietary goals, exercise tracking, a food log, & room for reflection.
Start small, & reduce your misery :
Lowering cholesterol doesn’t mean selling out – you can take control without becoming a health obsessed robot. It’s more about balance than restriction. Don’t eat like a jerk, move your ass, & chill the fuck out. Just like any other goal or habit – plan some stuff, test it out, keep track, reflect, & pivot as needed. Find what works, & screw the rest.
✊ If this fired you up in a good way, give it a share, hit “like,” and don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter zen BLITZ — where punk meets practical and we figure out this whole health/life thing without losing our edge.
Rock on!
Hustle culture sells burnout as a sign of success. Working for the escape of the weekend every week, and for what? To play it on repeat for half a century?
You don’t need an escape – You need a life you don’t want to escape from!
What if you could live a life that felt good today — not decades from now?
Success is a life that feels like freedom. Granted, we all have to pay the bills and consider future savings (hot tip: some online high-interest savings accounts still pay 4% APY or higher!), but is that what success looks like? Hell no.
Pillars of a meaningful life :
The way to feel more successful? Infuse more life into your life. You’re gonna regret wasting away on the couch every weekend when life’s clock starts ticking louder.
Don’t grind your life into something you want to escape from, and stop waiting for vacation time to feel alive.
Create a life where the everyday is enough — and the future is even better.
Hustle culture won’t design your dream life. You will. Subscribe for weekly doses of rebellion-fueled self-help.
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Your mind can get like a messy room – cluttered with random junk, half thoughts, and emotional dust bunnies. If you let it linger, just like environmental clutter, it can drain your focus, energy, and sanity. It’s spring – let’s tidy that shit!
Get a piece of paper (or five) and purge every single thought, worry, or task onto the page. Don’t do this digitally – it’ll be much more cathartic if you make it a physical list.
Now go through each item and ask, “Does this matter? Why am I holding onto this?” If there’s no good reason, and it really doesn’t matter, toss it.
Spend a few minutes afterward in mindful meditation to help you reset.
Set hard boundaries, and stick to them – No apologies, no guilt. What needs to be cleared away so that you have room to grow?
Sometimes a deep reflection can help you evaluate where you are vs where you want to be.
Sometimes you just need a kick in the ass. Here are some quick reset ideas :
Decluttering isn’t a one-time thing – make it a daily habit! Your mind should be a place you enjoy, not a cluttered attic full of ghosts and rabid mice. If a thought, habit, or person isn’t paying rent for your mental real estate, evict them immediately.
Any “quick reset” ideas? Drop them in the comments below!
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Rock on!
zen BLITZ 
